


A horrible cause for a good thing

by My_Dear_Feather



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: CT-21-0408 | Echo Lives, CT-7567 | Rex Needs a Hug, Cody's scar, Depression, Fluff, Hardcase Lives, Kix has magical hands, M/M, Massage, Pining, Post-Umbara, Touching, the barracks are messy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:41:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25387708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Dear_Feather/pseuds/My_Dear_Feather
Summary: Dogma was executed after the Umbara’s arc and Rex feels deeply guilty for it. Fives and his 501st brothers decide to cheer him up in their own way. A plan that involves mattresses, pillows, blankets and a mysterious present named ‘Commander Cody’.
Relationships: 501st Legion/CT-7567 | Rex, CC-2224 | Cody/CT-7567 | Rex, CT-21-0408 | Echo/CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555, CT-5597 | Jesse/CT-6116 | Kix
Comments: 1
Kudos: 28
Collections: TexWash's Must Reads and Rereads





	A horrible cause for a good thing

**Author's Note:**

> Rex and Cody are already riduurs at this point.  
> First fanfic ever so be nice!  
> Also, English is not my first language so sorry for the grammar mistakes!

He wanted to die. Barely a few hours ago, Rex had attended Dogma’s execution, accused of having murdered his Jedi General. On the paper, it was a fair accusation, since Dogma had indeed killed Krell. However, we couldn’t consider Dogma’s execution as justice, since the man he had killed was a traitor, responsible of the deaths of a lot of good soldiers.  
Justice, Dogma took care of it. And now, injustice had taken back its rights and had taken off the life of the most loyal soldier that has ever lived in the clone army.

During the whole thing, Rex was forced to stay there, straight to his feet, watching this obnoxious and unbearable execution which was giving him the desire to kill the culprits himself. He also had to stay there, straight to his feet, watching this soldier he had never been very close to, but who had, in truth, saved his life. Dogma chose to shoot instead of him, and now he had also taken his place between the Death’s arms. At this moment, no word would be enough to describe the guilt and the pain Rex could feel while watching this soldier who was constantly looking furtively at him, and those looks all meant: “It is not your fault, Captain. I made my choice.”

And he tried to stay strong, but of course it was his fault. If he had been a good Captain from the start, none of his men would have died. And if he had been braver, if his hand had not been shaking while he was aiming his blaster at Krell, he would not have Dogma’s death on consciousness now. In fact, he would not have consciousness at all.  
The killing seemed to last forever. As a sign of respect for this soldier, Rex decided not to close his eyes when the shot went off. He didn’t want to deny nor ignore the act that was taking place by his fault. Now that all was over, Rex no longer knew what to do, nor what to think.

The desire to resign from his Captain rank horribly fret him, because he no longer wanted all these responsibilities which he was unable to carry. And beyond that, he no longer thought that a single man should be under his command. He wished to become an anonymous clone again in this army. So that’s what he tried to do, wandering in the clones’ barracks corridors, as soon as he returned to Corusant. He was going nowhere, sometimes meeting a few men of his battalion, too happy to still be alive after such a horrible battle.

All of those he met wanted to take him for a drink, for a card game with the others or simply for a talk. None of them got any answer from Rex who continued walking, tirelessly.  
One after the other, he ignored them. How could they still talk to him after what he had done? All of these clones were dead because of him, Dogma had just proved it, and all the others just wanted to celebrate their victory. Rex wanted to die.

‘Fives?’

The ARC trooper turned around, a wet towel on his shoulders, his hair still soaked, and saw Echo in full armor who was walking towards him, smiling. As soon as Fives replied the same bright smile, Echo quickened the pace until jumping in his riduur’s arms. It had been several months since they last saw each other and their hug felt like it. Fives, overflowing by love for Echo sent his tongue wander into his companion’s mouth, which greeted it with the greatest tenderness existing.

‘Hey, if we’re bothering, just say so!’ Hardcase mumbled while mildly laughing, a few cards in his hand.

The 501st group, who was playing cards in the quarters’ main room, watched the couple near the door with a mix of fascination, disgust and, if possible, jealousy. Finally, Fives and Echo parted, ignoring the others, and Echo, his face buried in his riduur’s neck, murmured:

‘You’ll be my Omega tonight.’

Fives gently retreated a bit in front of an Echo who wasn’t hiding his surprise and then, taking his wrists with a sorry look, he admitted he had already planned something for that night:

‘Rex is not well. Not at all. Many of us have met him since we’re back to Corusant and he completely ignored us. Actually, his state worries us so much that we’re afraid he might do shit… and after what happened on Umbara, I would understand him…’

Echo turned his head towards the players around the table and he realized that all of them were dropping their head, remembering of many images and painful memories. He didn’t ask for what happened, because he could very well guess what usually happened on battlefronts like these.

‘Tonight, we thought we could organize something all together to relax him’ Jesse explained and getting closer while observing the others play, ‘and we could relax as well.’

He glanced at Fives who nodded with a little smile, then at the soldiers around their cards game who quietly laughed. Echo looked at them, frowning, half curious half anxious and asked:

‘Okay, I think I understand the plan, but you really think that taking advantage of the Captain while he’s on depression is nice? Because I find it hateful.’

On these words, he abruptly freed himself from Fives’ embrace and crossed his arms in front of him and all the others, a bit frustrated about their so little understanding behaviors:

‘It’s not hateful if it relaxes him’ Jesse laughed, worsening the situation.  
‘If you really want to take care of the Captain, you should start by worrying about what he needs. Show him some subtlety instead of wanting to jump on him to ‘relax’ him. Otherwise, he’s gonna turn on you before you even say a word.’  
‘We’re not that stupid’ Hardcase intervened while putting a card on the play mat, ‘we’re gonna put him at ease first. But even if we build a nice cozy nest, how can we be sure he’s going to stay in it and accept to let us guide him?’

Echo sketched a mocking smile, as if he saw the solution almost instantly when nobody had been able to find it. The other clones looked at him insistently, curiously and finally, the ARC trooper sat on the table and dropped:

‘Get Cody.’

The 212th battalion’s commander had come back the day before, thanks to the efficient strategy of General Kenobi. He was exhausted but, like all the others, happy that this awful battle had resulted in a victory. All day, Cody had been in the control center, distractedly watching the following galaxy hotspots with Obi Wan.  
In fact, they were only chatting but it had been so long since they hadn’t have enough time that both of them admitted that releasing the pressure made them feel good.

When they parted, Cody headed for the showers and that’s where he saw Fives who, when he perceived him, rushed to meet him:

‘So the 501st finally came home?’  
‘Commander, you’re in luck! I was looking for you… we’re gonna need your help.’

Cody frowned in front of the ARC trooper who didn’t let him enough time to refuse and explained to him:

‘Our Captain is in a bad mood and, when I say that, understand that it’s an euphemism. He doesn’t want to speak with anyone, he wants to stay alone and we think he might have found a bottle as we speak. The guys and I would like to get him back in shape but we need you for that. I’m sure you understand, you probably are the closest brother he has… Would you want to help us, sir? Well… help him?'  
‘Of… course, Cody stammered both surprised and shocked by the news, ‘but what happened? Why is Rex not well?’

But Fives was already living, turning back only to reply:

‘I’ll explain to you later! See you in the 501st’ barracks in twenty minutes! And if he tries to comm you, ignore him!’ 

***

‘Hey, pull the table before getting the mattresses in, you defective clones!’

In front of this authoritarian voice, Jesse sighed without bothering to hide his annoyance in the doorway, a mattress under the arm.

‘Come on guys, back off! Fives wants us to take the table out before setting the bed!’

Furious exclamations burst out and the mess could be heard behind Jesse because, in the common room, everyone had taken his mattress to set it in the 501st’ main hall. It had been approximatively ten minutes since Fives was warming up his voice, trying to show to volunteer clones (that is to say every clone in the 501st) how to set up a giant bed the size of the main room. Sadly, things were not as easy as they had seemed to be when explained by Echo.

‘Jesse, how many mattresses do we have?’ Fives asked while observing ten soldiers push the big white table in the card games room.  
‘For now, fifty-three, but that wouldn’t be hard to find more if we have to.’

The ARC trooper nodded, turning his head towards the men setting the mattresses on the ground in the wrong way, exasperated. He had truly thought that Echo’s plan to build this famous cozy nest, in which their Captain would rush, was brilliant. However now, he was realizing that the men were exhausted and that the operation was more difficult than it looked.

‘Get your shoes off if you need to go on the mattresses! We want this to be clean and welcoming, remember? And… no Hardcase! Don’t jump on the mattresses when you haven’t even showered! Go get clean, for Force’s sake! I can smell you stink from here!’

But the clone from the opposite side of the room, ignored him and prepared to jump. In a flash, Fives took his blasters, switched to “Stun” mode and shot Hardcase who fell on the ground like a flower, in front of half the legion’s stunned looks. Furious, Fives circled the mattresses to reach the guilty that he pulled by the armor to get him out of the barracks.

‘Why everytime I come in here do I feel like I just landed on a battlefield?’

The entire 501st seemed to stop moving for a moment to turn their eyes on Cody who stood there, in front of thirty-six mattresses set up in the main hall. Deep down inside him, Fives thanked the fact that the 212th commander had just showered, and thus, that he was as relaxed as possible and in pretty good mood to not seem too harsh. He dropped the unconscious Hardcase and asked Jesse to get him under a shower before heading towards Cody.

‘Don’t worry, commander’ he said with a nervous smile, ‘It’s normal.’  
‘Let’s just say that I’m getting used to the 501st’ Cody replied while raising a severe eyebrow without looking away from the room's activity.

Removing his shoes like Fives told him to, Cody stepped in the middle of the room who was almost entirely covered in mattresses now. The nest’s borders were round and demarcated by piles of pillows, shrinking the space a bit, which would force the men to huddle together once inside. Apart from the mattresses, the nest was filled with blankets scattered everywhere, making the place extremely comfortable and attractive.

‘So, that’s your idea?’ Cody asked with an amused smile, ‘change your quarters into a gigantic bed?’  
‘Exactly’ Fives exclaimed proudly while continuing to observe the finishes being done, ‘and you, commander, you will be the gift that the Captain is gonna find in the middle of this cozy nest.’  
‘You mean the “bait”’ Cody laughed divided between compassion and incomprehension, ‘I find it very kind of you all but I’m not sure that Rex and I are going to need all that space.’

Fives winced, not having planned this type of reaction, when he clearly should have. Inside him, he could already hear the familiar voice of Echo resonate in his ears: “You should have seen it coming…” but he told that voice to shut up and he tried to focus on Cody who was still looking at him suspiciously. Of course he had to tell him now. But if Fives was so reluctant to do so, it was because he felt likely that all his plan might collapse once he would have pronounce this sentence:

‘Sir, as true as it is that we need you to help Rex, you also need us. I… I’m sure that you would let us explain you what we plan to do in order to understand that argument.’

The 212th commander frowned, suspicious: for sure, it wasn’t what he had expected. Now, Fives thought, if Cody agreed to listen to him, he would have to be extremely subtle because he had in front of him the person who cared about Rex and his health the most. Thus, he would have to choose his words with great care so that the commander accept to play his part.

‘Very well, tell me about what you plan to do, Fives.’

***

6.30 p.m.: “Hey Cody, it’s me. The 501st just came back to Corusant and uh… we should see each other tonight… I think I really need some rest and peace and… the mood’s not great around here so… well… give me a call when you can.”  
8:30 p.m.: “Cody, it’s Rex… uh… I went to the 212th’s barracks but you weren’t there and… I’ve been looking for you pretty much everywhere but… I guess you’re still in a meeting with the Generals or… can… can you call me back quickly ? I… I really feel lonely…”  
10:30 p.m.: “Cody… please… answer… I need you…”

‘For Force’s sake, could you turn off that kriffing comm?!’ Cody exclaimed to the common room where all the others were, ‘I can’t bear to hear him like that and I feel like the next message is gonna make me mad!’

When the commander had removed his armor to stay in his blacks only, Jesse had taken his stuff in the common room where all the 501st was currently hiding. All the lights were out and Cody was laying alone in the middle of the nest, as planned.

‘Alright, alright, we turned it off’ whispered one of the clones, ‘now, not a word, the Captain can arrive at any moment.’

Cody sighed and changed his position against the mattress, kicking the blanket. After that, there was no more sound.

***

At that awful moment for him, the person with which Rex felt the closest had left him. He hadn’t replied to any of his distress calls and should probably be drinking at the 79th, although it was not really Cody’s type. Rex was alone and he felt so lost without someone to guide him or to give him orders that he couldn’t stop the infernal machine turning in his head over and over.

It was telling him the shame he should feel after what happened, was calling him a coward and spitting him in the face. His heart was heavy like a ton of plumb and his throat seemed so tight that he sometimes struggled to make the air circulate in it.  
Around midnight and after having made four times the same way around and in the clones’ quarters, Rex decided to return to the 501st because there was nowhere else to go, really. He simply hoped that the men wouldn’t be there, waiting for him… or worse, talking about his pitiful state, then stopping to speak to watch him cross the room to get inside his personal quarters.

When he got close to the barracks, he saw no light filter under the main doors, which reassured him a bit. He intended to lay in bed without undressing – although he was only wearing his blacks – then look at the ceiling until his eyes would close from themselves. But when, upset, Rex quietly opened the door, the light from the corridor lit up the main room of the barracks a bit and he discovered in it a surprising sight.  
Actually, since Rex was in a pathetic state, he wasn’t sure of what he was seeing. For a moment, he thought that his tired brain had made that up… and yet, blinking several times, he was still seeing the same thing.

Thick white mattresses everywhere, in fact covering the entire room. On it, a large circle seemed made of pillows and big blankets were disposed here and there. And, it was when his eyes were amazed from this sight, shared between incomprehension and exasperation – because the barracks were a mess – that Rex took a step forward and saw him.

A clone. Cody, of course, recognizable among a thousand, thanks to his thin scar at the temple that he was wearing since he was young… since he knew Rex. Cody rolled in a ball in the middle of this cozy nest, like a cat folded in a very big basket. A fluffy thing there for him, he knew it. Alone in this huge room deep into darkness, it was as if this little creature was whispering to him: “Come, come cuddle me…”. 

Suddenly, a true tsunami of affection overwhelmed Rex, while he was trying to remove his shoes. Of course that Cody had done all this for him, and for his comfort only, he hadn’t abandoned him at all! Rex was nearly smiling at that thought, his breath quickening when he turned to close the doors, turning it into near-total darkness.  
He took a few steps in the mattresses, his feet sinking a bit in the sweetness. But while he was taking another step towards Cody, spanning the pillow mountain and going in the circle, his conscious took over again.

Already disgust by his own actions, he was now outraged to see that Cody had been waiting for him to be with him. But Rex didn’t deserve all this: neither Cody, nor the wonderful nest, or any piece of tenderness that anyone could offer him. He deserved the shot that Dogma took right in the head several hours ago. Rex had stolen his life to keep his own.  
The fur ball a step away from him stirred a little and slowly opened his eyelids, drawing the Captain out of his thoughts when he turned his eyes towards it.

Cody and Rex looked at each other for a while. One of them seemed truly distressed, the other was it too, for him. Rex was feeling weak, torn between his deep desire to lay there, near his riduur, and his horrible conscious that was ordering him to withdraw now from this love he no longer deserved. The commander on the mattress seemed to clearly read in his eyes and decided for him.

Gently straightening up while sitting, Cody opened his arms towards Rex whose legs were shaking, still resisting against his head which he bitterly wanted to short-circuit. And when his feet surrendered under him, as exhausted, he fell to his knees in the nest with a small a groan of pain he couldn't suppress. Then, Rex let himself fall right in Cody’s arms who didn’t resist under the clone’s weight and tipped over the mattress too.

Immediately, the Captain felt Cody lay his legs down under him to be more comfortable and then, he petted Rex’s back with his hands, as intensely as if he wanted to warm him up.  
On the moment, none said a word. Cody was feeling his riduur abnormally shaking, an intense battle against himself still continuing in his head and Cody could feel the horrible vibrations of it. It didn’t look like anything Cody had ever known of stress crisis or panic attacks which sometimes caught his men on the battlefield.

This time, it looked like if a dagger had injured him from the inside and that Rex was uttering a horrible, infinite, silent cry that was stuck in his throat. The commander stopped his petting to lay his hands on Rex’s cheeks, forcing him to look at him. He was literally on the verge of tears and truly seemed to refrain himself against his will for so long that it was torturing his heart, throat and lips which he was intensively biting. Cody found that vision nearly unbearable:

‘Rex’ he murmured without looking away, ‘my Rex, you’re killing me! Suffering, pain, agony: that’s all I can see in your eyes. And I want you to give me that sadness, now, I want you to let it go… do you understand this?’

The Captain shyly nodded and then, he tucked his head against Cody's neck. However, this one could still feel some resistance because the shakings seemed to never want to stop. He had the impression that Rex simply couldn’t let go. But the 212th’s commander was determined to free his riduur, despite the tenacity with which he was clinging to his guilt:

‘Cry Rex’ Cody insisted in the sensitive hollow of his ear, ‘I want you to give me every tears of yours, I want to feel them flow against my skin and I won’t let you go until you are completely dry.’

This time, as if he had just pronounced the magic word, Cody didn’t need to repeat himself twice: he suddenly felt Rex melt against him when he sobbed for the first time. From that moment on, the muscles of his entire body appeared to relax and the Captain seemed half as heavy. Perhaps that in the end, he did and said what was necessary for Rex to feel safe enough to cry, which meant a lot for both of them.

Cody realized it from the moment when he felt the first tears slowly slide along his neck to land on the collar of his blacks. He and Rex were together long before the beginning of the war and despite the distance which held them apart from each other sometimes for months, their complicity had remained because they cared about each other as their own life. So, naturally, there had been some evenings without a single word, and where their embrace was enough to tell their pain after some tough battles.

However, never had Rex cried in front of Cody, because that meant get naked from the inside. It was a truly difficult act for soldiers trained to refrain their feelings all the time. Besides, the majority of the clones thought that being vulnerable to such an extent was deeply humiliating, even possibly deadly. In other words, it was as unsafe as putting one’s precious heart in the palm of the other's hand.

An yet Rex was currently doing it, his hot and unstable breath against Cody because his trust in him was such, that this source of comfort that Cody represented, he had preferred to let himself drop in it rather than to hold onto the edge. His riduur knew well the value of such a thing and he felt flattered to own the arms in which the famous Captain Rex had chosen to cry in.

Finally, after several long minutes, the tense hands gripping Cody’s blacks loosened, completely stopping from shaking, to simply stick against him and feel him: his presence, his warmth, his smell. Shortly after, the sobs stopped and there was no more sound. Here, they took a second to appreciate the silence, the darkness and the proximity of the other in this warm nest. Then, slowly, Rex unbent his head from Cody’s neck, just enough to watch his artwork:

‘Let them dry’ the commander intervened in a low voice who had followed his gaze, ‘they’re mine now.’

As to thank him, Cody turned his head a bit and gently kissed Rex’s lips, which automatically let themselves be guided by the slow movements of his riduur, proving that he was now a lot more relaxed. However, despite his feelings, he wanted to be absolutely sure of it and wanted Rex to continue feeling safe in his arms:

‘How are you feeling?’ he tenderly asked while burying a hand beneath his blond hair.  
‘Tired…’ Rex admitted closing his eyes at Cody’s contact in his hair, ‘I think I’ll manage to sleep in the end.’

He largely yawned and Cody had the serious impression to have a just born cat before him. He was really reassured that emptying Rex of his sadness had been enough to tire him out and so, to prevent him from thinking again, but he intended to look after his riduur until the end. 

‘Okay, my Rex’ he smiled, ‘I’m gonna take care of you until you fall asleep. Then, I could stay glued to you all night, would you like that?’

In response to this promise of tenderness, the Captain tightened his grip on Cody who couldn’t repress a compassionate smile. Then Rex felt someone discretely kneeling behind him. In fact, he only realized it because of the wrinkling of the mattress under his weight. This “someone” undertook to gently remove the upper half of his blacks and Rex let him do it without asking questions, since Cody was still whispering some beautiful words of affection that everyone would love to hear in his ear.

Once shirtless, Rex felt Cody’s warm hands calmly take his wrists, still tightened around his riduur, to leave them, with some very slow moves, along his body on the mattress. Again, he didn’t resist at all because, now empty headed, it seemed so much simpler to accept any situation than to spend more strength in trying to fight against it. Rex was now miserably lying face down on Cody whose hands were affectionately fluffing his light hair.

He was still feeling a presence on his right, who hadn’t moved yet but who didn’t take long to do so. Indeed, the following second, Rex felt two hands landing on his naked shoulders and slowly drawing their shining path along his spine, pressing lightly. The sensation was so sudden, so intense but so freeing that a shameful sound escaped from his throat before he could refrain it. Very embarrassed, Rex pressed his forehead against Cody’s shoulder to hide his blushing face. But his riduur seemed very pleased of his reaction and encouraged him to continue:

‘That’s it, beautiful, my Rex… Just let yourself go, like this…’

And when the hands on his back moved again, the Captain struggled to hold back a sob of happiness. These unknown hands were incredible: enormous and delicate at the same time, exerting gentle pressures on his back thanks to some horribly slow and precise movements, sinking into his skin just in the right places, where his muscles seemed the tightest.

And as if all this wasn’t enough, the oil that someone was trying to penetrate into his skin had a sweet and hypnotizing smell, encouraging the unhappy man who breathed it to always want more. Inevitably, Rex was forced to give in to his exquisite tenderness so that after five minutes, his body had become so loose like a flabby dough that he wasn’t able to do a single movement, even if he had wanted to. Besides, he no longer cared about refraining the notes of pleasure that these increasingly intense movements were giving him, and beneath him, Cody seemed to like them a lot.

Rex could barely bear the powerful but extraordinary contact of these oiled hands on his shoulders melting under the movements, which made his breath slower and deeper than ever. Honestly, he didn’t have a clue about how long this clone massaged him thoroughly, as if he had done this all his life and he knew exactly where to insist and where to simply touch.

Finally in a daze, Rex felt himself going far into the soothing sphere of sleep, although he would have liked that this relaxing moment would never end. But he had only struggled too much against falling asleep and now, he could only surrender quietly against Cody.

When Rex regained consciousness, his riduur was still beneath him, he could feel the warmth of his body, his shoulder against his head and his attached hands around his waist, protecting, keeping. In fact, he could even appreciate the light rising of his chest when he unconsciously breathed the air. But now that he concentrated, Rex could also feel that other bodies had joined them in the nest.

He couldn’t yet tell how many they were but a muscled arm was definitely surrounding his shoulder blades, his legs – already tangled with Cody’s – seemed covered with a warm and comforting mass. From the hot breathing which regularly brushed his neck, Rex was convinced that someone was laying on his right. Finally, he had the clear impression that his left arm was buried under somebody and more precisely, stuck between his legs.

When Rex opened his eyes, he had no intention to move, however. All these clones that surrounded him, wrapped him up in a cocoon of security and affection and he felt good in it. He simply discovered that this hot breath came from Kix’s mouth behind who was glued Jesse, both asleep. At their feet was Hardcase, lain (more like spread) on their legs as on his. Tucked against him was Tup, his half undone bun between Echo and Fives’ feet, who still imprisoned Rex’s left arm.

He then realized with some awkwardness that all of them were wearing blacks whereas he had only the bottom half of his, testifying to a certain vulnerability. In the natural tracking of things, his eyes picked up the fact that all of them were huddled together in this nest and his heart couldn’t help but beat faster at the mere thought. Directly, he seemed to take consciousness of all this warmth which emanated from these clones and from there, Rex was screwed.

Knowing full well that he was showing total incivility, he woke the others up by crying a long complaint of a wounded animal which he swore to forget once done, but which, at least, had the advantage to be efficient. Around him, eyes opened and worried looks turned towards his sweaty neck. Rex let them understand by themselves that he was calling for them and asking for them.

‘Cody’ he whined, ‘help me!’

Then he forced the commander, still half asleep, to look at his dilated eyes, almost sticking his wet nose urgently against his, until he understood the vital need that ignited his riduur. Cody seemed a bit surprised when he saw it, but was immediately understanding and the Captain blessed him for that:

‘Okay, Rex’ he stammered with a pity smile, ‘I think I understand what you want, just… We’re gonna help you through it, don’t worry…’

Rex laid his head on the commander’s chest again and sighed loudly. On his left, he felt Fives straighten, clearly not forgetting that his Captain’s arm was still stuck between his legs. The sensation was almost unsustainable for Rex who tried to free himself with a shabby little cry, feeling his breathing become more and more rushed at every second. In response, Fives intended to remove the bottom half of Rex’s blacks with Hardcase and Tup’s help.

Only then, he freed the Captain’s left arm in order to turn him over on his back. But this time, Rex struggled since he wanted to jump on the first clone in sight, as soon as he could, which was unacceptable of course. Cody hurried to grab Rex’s torso to restrain him and his frantic agitation, while one of the other clone pinned his hands above his head.

‘Shhhhhhh, Rex’ Cody gently said in front of the panic mixed with despair of the clone on him, ‘It’s okay, I’m here…’

However, his need transforming into madness, he weren’t listening to single word anymore and was shaking again, without stopping to struggle against all the clones leaning above him, watching eagerly. The vision in itself was unbearable for Rex, especially when he looked at Fives kneeling at his feet and smirking.

‘Please…’ he managed to articulate between two breaths, ‘please Cody! I can’t…’

In addition to this fragile voice, he didn’t even refrain the sob that was already stuck in his throat and he let it go out, in hope that his deep despair would affect his commander. Sadly for him, Cody didn't give in to his supplications and tightened his grip around his chest:

‘No, Rex’ he said firmly, ‘you’re gonna hurt yourself if you keep trying to do it yourself. Let them do it’ – Rex’s heart jumped in his chest – ‘and you’ll be free soon, I promise.’

At these words, Cody thought that his riduur was going to cry again, since the state of distress he was in, but gladly, he didn’t see any tear on his face when he kissed him on the temple. Then, he quickly nodded to the clones in front of him who firmly caught his riduur’s legs which he had almost folded under him as a defense.  
Rex cried out and then, when seeing that there was no escape, he decided to close his eyes for good: his entire face seemed particularly tense, his breath rushed and his legs trembling more than ever, but at last, he wasn’t struggling anymore. The look still fixed on Cody, Fives got closer, a bit impatiently, then when the commander nodded again, he bent over Rex.

The first contact was highly teasing and almost unbearable but then, the sensation became more enjoyable and Rex accepted the slow rhythm that Fives imposed him without arguing, because it was better than feeling nothing at all. Around them, Rex had the feeling to be the target of many envious looks… or maybe they were all envious of Fives.

‘That’s it my Rex’ Cody murmured in his ear, ‘you are doing very well… Breath…’

He continued to talk to him all along when the clones went before him one after the other and Rex was very thankful for that. Once freed, he realized the ferocity with which this need had taken him and he had been very lucky to have all these vod around him to help him. When he recovered the use of his hands after the last afterglow waves had evaporated, he straightened between Cody’s legs and took the time to thank all his brothers. They smiled, all too happy of having helped their Captain in this pleasant way.

‘By the way’ he curiously asked, ‘who massaged me beautifully last night?’

Laughs were heard from the clones who were starting to leave the nest, then Rex heard a shy voice behind him:

‘It was me, sir…’

Turning around, he saw Kix, blushing, a pillow under each arm. Honestly, Rex could have guessed that because the 501st clone medic was from far, the one who had the most delicate hands and, beyond that, he was the only one who could know massage and relaxation technics. It was logical, in a way. He thanked him warmly, without knowing what else to say but in the end, he was sure that Kix hadn’t considered this work as work. Quite the opposite actually.

‘He’s good, isn’t he?’ Jesse intervened while getting closer to his riduur, ‘you can’t even imagine all the things this angel can do with his hands!’

He chastely kissed him on the cheek and took him out of the nest, an arm around his shoulders. Rex watched them go, deeply happy for them. Jesse was very lucky to have someone as gentle and compassionate as Kix. And Kix deserved to have someone as endearing and affectionate as Jesse. These guys definitely fit well together.

Finally, Rex thought about his own luck, about the one who had done all of this for him and that meant a lot. He turned towards Cody, who was still there, sitting just behind him and observing him with a slightly worried look. They were alone in the nest again. Without noticing, Rex was smiling when he thought of Kix and Jesse. So this smile grew even more when he threw himself into Cody’s arms with so much strength that he could almost have breathed him. 

His commander appreciated his thankful reaction and the second later, they kissed fiercely until they couldn’t breathe. Only then, Cody admitted what he was thinking about since they started kissing:

‘You don’t have to thank me, you know. I mean… you did the same thing for me… remember?’

Of course that Rex remembered that as if it had happened the day before. And yet that was years before the war, when they were only young soldiers… or at least, training to be. They were just friends in the same section, when one night, all went wrong.

Cody had made a simple mistake, like all cadets did. But the thing was, none had seen his action as a mistake: At the end of a training simulation, the bounty hunter who was their instructor, hated by most for his explosive temper and his legendary severity, had come to debrief the exercise.  
Cody had been particularly pitiful that day and their teacher hadn’t missed the opportunity to tell him that again and again. And by the end of the briefing, he took a shot in the head. The young Cody, always respectful of the rules and of his superiors had almost had a panic attack when he had realized that he had forgotten to engage the safety catch on his weapon.

And the electrifying bullet had gone off, hurting badly their instructor of a scar he still has now. Cody may had repeated countless times that he did not do it intentionally, nobody had believed him. And that night, he was called in the instructor’s office. Rex had been waiting for his return, after trying to convince him that everything was going to be fine, but he wasn’t even certain that the panicked Cody had heard him.

When he saw him come back, he was shaking, blood flowing abundantly from his temple and all the way down his left cheek. An electrifying bullet still simmering embedded in his skin.

‘He said… I was pitiful.’

Then Rex had hurried to heal him, but despite everything he intended, the wound never left completely and drew a thin scar, identical to the one of his cursed instructor. He then had taken him in his arms, sorry for this tragic incident. And Cody had burst into tears in front of Rex’s compassion who had tried to heal him, but also because he was ashamed of himself, sure that this simple mistake would be the end of his military carrier, before it had even started.

This compassion and this shared embrace were the first of a long friendship. And this moment they were living now inevitably reminded them of this one. Because Rex had saved Cody’s distress, and now Cody was doing it for him.

**Author's Note:**

> Mando’a translation :  
> riduur: husband
> 
> I find my theory about how Cody got his scar pretty satisfying and soooo tragic… But I feel like that’s the sort of things that could totally happen. What do you think?  
> Also, feel free to give me ideas of stories I could write!  
> And if you liked this, don’t worry, there are more stuffs coming soon!


End file.
